Tits are polite, at least while mating.
Humans rely on many types of nonverbal communication.
Theres the wink, an impish flicking of one eyelid, often teasing or suggestive.
A Japanese tit fluttering its “after you” gesture.Gif:Suzuki and Sugita, 2024/ Current Biology
And who could forget the upwardsand downwardshead nods, typically a nonverbal greeting or sign of acknowledgement.
The teams discovery ispublishedtoday in Current Biology.
These diverse vocalizations led me to initiate this research into their potential use of physical gestures.
A Japanese tit.Photo:Alpsdake
It is a symbolic gesture, a more complex level of communication.
The team observed over 300 nest visits in total.
Its a reminder that more is going on in the animal kingdom than we know.
And hats off the Japanese tit, who is a polite little creature.
Theythey know the hats off gesture, right?
More:Do Animals Practice Revenge?
News from the future, delivered to your present.
